Finnish Designs | Finnish Design Project

Glass bowls with their original cardboard packaging

Miscellaneous photography

The section includes a selection of miscellaneous photography of Finnish design goods from the Design Council’s picture library including packaging, jewellery, street furniture and textiles. In addition to these, also included are the Council’s exhibitions in Finland: The Government Stands at the British Trade Fair 1957, designed by Robin Day, FSIA and arranged by Helen…

Lighting

Finnish lighting is distinctive and photographs of the best examples were acquired by the Council of Industrial Design/Design Council as part of its picture library. The selection includes lighting designed by people such as Lisa Johansson-Pape, Paavo Tynell, Alvar Aalto and Tapio Wirkkala.

Interior design

The Finnish interior has an appeal that endures. These photographs were acquired by the Council of Industrial Design/Design Council to inspire British designers and to educate the British public. The selection here includes examples of interior design for bedrooms and other living spaces as well as interior design from the 1940s by architect W. West…

ICOGRADA posters

Among the 1500 posters from around the world that form part of the ICOGRADA (The International Council of Graphic Design Associations) archive, 37 of these are from Finland. Covering the period from 1968 to the late 1980s, they include the work of some of Finland’s most eminent graphic designers and provide a vivid and vibrant…

Glass

Finnish glass has a long history and a unique appeal. The selection featured here represent some its distinctive qualities, from bold sculptural forms to designs featuring delicate figurative motifs from designers such as Gunnel Nyman and Tapio Wirkkala.

Furniture

Finland is famous for its furniture which has inspired designers around the world. Photographs of furniture by Finnish designers and manufacturers were acquired by the Council of Industrial Design/Design Council throughout the post-war period. They range from Alvar Aalto’s bent birch plywood table of 1933 to leather- and canvas-webbed chairs designed by Carl-Johan Boman in…

Design for eating

From utensils to decorative items, good design is a consistent feature in Finnish kitchen equipment. The products of manufacturers like Arabia and Iittala are sought after around the world. Depicted among this selection are designs by Timo Sarpaneva, Tapio Wirkkala, Kaj Franck, Kaarina Aho and Annikki Hovisaari.

Design ’81, Helsinki

In 1981, Helsinki hosted a Design Congress at which ICOGRADA, ICSID, and IFI met together for the first time for a common objective defined in the title: Design Intergration. Despite Design ’81 being an international event, the themes were influenced by the conditions in Finland: the structure of its society and industry, folklore, cultural traditions…

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